$192k in tourism tax collected in 1st month
KUALA LUMPUR • The Malaysian government collected more than RM600,000 (S$192,767) in tourism tax in the first month of its implementation.
Malaysians and permanent residents are exempted from paying the tax, while foreign tourists are charged a flat rate of RM10 per room per night for all hotel classes.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Xi suggests 'Silk Road on ice' with Russia
BEIJING • China and Russia should jointly develop and cooperate on the use of the North Polar sea route and build a Silk Road on the ice, President Xi Jinping told visiting Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday.
Mr Medvedev was on an official visit to China from Tuesday to yesterday and co-chaired with Premier Li Keqiang the 22nd China-Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting on Wednesday.
CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Inquiry into Indian power plant blast
NEW DELHI • Indian authorities yesterday ordered an inquiry to determine within seven days the cause of a blast at a coal-fired power plant that killed 26 people and injured more than 100.
Wednesday's blast at the 1,550MW plant operated by state-owned NTPC in northern Uttar Pradesh state was one of the country's worst industrial accidents in years.
REUTERS
